Disk clutch



June 27, 1933.

M. GoL-DsHMlDT DISK CLUTCH Filed July 25. 1929 Patented June 27, 1933 UNITED ySTATES PATENT oFFlcE MAX GOLDSCHMIDT, oF ERANxFoRT-oN-THE-MAIN, GERMANY, ASSIGNCE, BY DIRECT AND MEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, oF CNE-THIRD To MECANo, GESELLSCHAFT MIT BESCHRNKTER HAFTUNG, 0E FRANKEoET-oN-THE-MAIN, GERMANY, AND oNE- THIRD To FICHTEL @a SACHS A. G., oF sCHWEINFURT-oN-THE-MAIN, GERMANY msx CLUTCH Applieation'led July 25, 1929, Serial No.

-without shocks, without it being necessary, zas-hitherto, to'exercise special care in closing the clutch by means of the foot lever.

A further object of the invention is to :facilitate the fitting of the clutch into vehicles of different constructions, in order that in the `case of a motor with a disk fly-wheel and clutch of diderent makes, the two may be manufactured independently of one another' These grooves are .broader than the engaging as far as possible.

The shock-free engagement of the two .clutch elements is obtained according to the -vpresent invention by vproviding weakl springs .which counteract and exert a damping actlon on the main clutch spring, when the clutch is being closed. The insertion of the clutch "is facilitated by the fact that all the parts ofthe clutch form a coherent whole, and can be fitted as such to the fly-wheel disk belonging to the motor, sov that the manufacture thereof remains unaffected evento the screw- :threaded holes for fastening purposes.

Various constructional forms of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 shows a front elevation view of Y the clutch, half the cover being removed.

' Figure 2 is-a longitudinal section in the vertical plane of symmetry of the clutch, and

Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 show various constructional forms of the .antagonistic spring in section.

The disk fly-wheel 1 of the motor constitutes at the same time in a known manner the clutch casing, and has as such a machined surface as a bearing surface for the clutch ring, and also a number of screw-threaded holes at the edge for the purpose of fastening the casing cover 2. In making the ily-wheel disk, therefore, according to the present invention only these two points have to be taken into considera- `tion, which occasions no difficulty.

The mounting of the clutch comprises in a known manner a main clutch spring 3, which bears at one end agalnst a sliding sleeve 4,

381,021, and invGermany October 6, 1928.

which is displaceable with respect to thel l shaft by means of a foot lever, and at the other end against a casing cover 2 securedby screws to the disk iy-wheel 1. In recesses in the sliding sleeve there engage the ends of the longer arms of a number of two-armed radially directed levers 5, 'which are fulcrumed on the inside of the casingcover 2, and press with their short arms, when the clutch is closed, upon noses on an intermediate ring 6, which engages, by means of tongues 7 directed radially inwards, in grooves on the margin of a main .or foundation ring 8.

tongues 7, and therefore, when the clutch is opened, the intermediate ring 6 is kept away from the foundation ring 8 by springs 9 which are secured to the intermediate ring and which press upon the edges of the foundation ring 8. Stops 10 on the edges on both sides of the springs 9 prevent the intermediate ring 6 from rotating relatively to the pressure ring 8. The springs 9, according to the present invention, act as antagonistic springs in relation to the main clutch spring 3, so that upon the clutch being closed suddenly, by quick lrelease 'of the foot lever, vno grabbing of the foundation ring 8 upon theclutch ring 11 takes place, but with progressive stressing of the springs 9 there is a gradual strengthening of the pressure on the clutch ring 11 which in a known manner is rigidly connected with the shaft, with which the iy wheel is to be coupled. In order to remove the foundaf ring 8, and the pressure levers 5 press with their short arms directly upon the ends of the springs 9. If it is undesirable to fit the pressure levers 5 to the springs 9, it is even possible to select instead of this, one of the Constructions illustrated in Figures 4 and 5,

according to which the spring acts as ablade spring 14 or a coil spring 15 upon a solid or hollow bolt 16, which is guided in a bore in the foundation ring 8 and upon which the the levers 5, so that they constitute the fulcra of the latter and makel the said fulcra resiliently yielding. The levers 5 act in this case not only as two-ar'med levers, but also as one-armed levers, the fulcrum being located at the oint at which the short arm is supported. igure 6 illustrates one constructional form of this method of arrangement of thespring 9, the pivotal hole in the lever 5 being constructed as an elongated hole 17 and the spring 9 pressing behind the latter on the lever 5.

Instead of the intermediate ring 6 and the foundation ring 8, each being made in one piece, vthey may both be made in separate segments on each of which 4a pressure lever 5 acts in the manner described. lin this Way it is achieved that thel separate segments fit' against the clutch ring l1 independently of one another.

What l claim is:

1. A disk clutch for coupling shafts in an automobile vehicle, comprising a clutch ring mounted fast upon one of the shafts, a casing cover, a foundation ring adapted to be pressed against the said clutch ring, a main clutch spring bearing against the casing cover, antagonistic springs weaker than the main clutch spring bearing against the foundation ring and opposing some resistance to the closing ofthe clutch and pressure levers mounted within the casing cover, adapted to subject the antagonistic springs to a pro-V gressively increasing stress whilethe clutch is being closed and pressing on the foundation ring through the intermediary of the antagonistic springs with a progressively increasmg force while the clutch is being closed, the antagonistic springs being disposed between the pressure levers and the foundation ring.

2. A disk clutch for coupling shafts in an automobile vehicle, comprising a clutch ring mounted fast upon one ofthe shafts, a casing cover, a foundation ring adapted to be pressed against the said clutch ring, a main clutch spring bearing against the casing cover, antagonistic springs weaker than the main clutch spring bearing against the foundation ring and opposing some resistance to the closing of the clutch and pressure levers mounted within the casing cover, adapted to subject the antagonistic springs indirectly to a progressively increasing stress while the clutch is being closed and pressing on the foundation ring through the inter.

mediary of the antagonistic springs with' a progressivelyincreasing force ,while th@ neiavaa clutch isA being closed, the antagonistic springs being disposed between the pressure levers and the foundation rin 3. A disk clutch for coupling shafts in an automobile vehicle, comprising a clutch ring mounted fast upon one of the shafts, a foundation ring adapted to be pressed against .the said clutch ring, a main clutch f spring, antagonistic springs weaker than the main clutch spring, the said antagonistic springs being fitted to the foundation ring and being adapted 'to oppose to the closing of the clutch,a` resistance which increases progressively while the clutch is being closed, and being also adapted to keep the foundation ring out of frictional contact with the clutch ring when the clutch is open, and pressure levers actuated through the main clutch spring and pressing upon the foundation ring'with a force which increases progressively while the clutch is 'fw-.w ss-Qd, the antagonistic springs being disposed between the pressure levers and the foundation ring; t, A disk clutch for coupling shafts in an automobile vehicle, comprising a clutch ring mounted fast/upon one of the shafts, a foundation ring adapted to be pressed against the said clutch ring, an intermediate rin supported infront of the foundation ring, a main clutch spring,- antagonistic i weaker than the main clutch spring, i i, antagonistic springs being fitted to the intermediate ring and being adapted to oppose to the closing of the clutch a resistance which increases progressively while the clutch is being closed and being also adap i to keep the foundation ring out of frictional contact with the clutch ring and with the intermediate ring when the clutch is open, and pressure levers actuated through the mainclutch spring and pressing upon the foundation ring through the intermediate ring with a force which increases progressively while'the clutch is being closed. i

5. A disk clutch for coupling shafts in an automobile vehicle, comprising a clutch ring mounted fast upon one of the shafts, a foundation ring adapted' to be pressed against the said clutch ring, a main clutch spring, pressure levers actuated through the-mam clutch spring and antagonistic springs weaker than the main clutch sprin the said antagonistic springs being fitte to the pressure levers and eing adapted to oppose to the closing of the clutch a resistance which increases progressively while the clutch is being closed, and the pressurey levers-being adapted to press u on the foundation ring with aforce whic increases progressively while the clutch is being closed.

6. A disk clutch for coupling shafts in an automobile vehicle, comprising a clutch ring mounted fast upon one of the shafts, a clutch casing mounted upon the other shaft a foundation ring adapted to be presse lll@ against the said clutch ring, tappet pins projecting inwards from the periphery of the clutch casing and guiding the foundation ring,'an intermediate ring supported in front of the foundation ring, a main clutch spring, antagonistic springs weaker than the main l clutch spring, the said antagonistic springs opposing some' resistance to the closing `of the clutch, pressure levers actuated through the main clutch spring and pressing upon the foundation ring through the intermediate MAX GOLDSCHMIDT. 

